This post was submitted by 2017 Continuous Improvement Conference sponsor, Heidelberg.

Author: Tom McTernan, Vice President, National Consumables Sales

Now more than ever, having a resource available to answer or work through a consumable issue is vital to a printer’s success.

The days of “hang and bang” are dwindling. With the new technologies available to printers, like LED, low energy UV, and the assortment of custom presses, more and more printers need an expert resource to help maximize their production.

It is evident that one consumable change anywhere on the press can cause “profit black holes” elsewhere. What solves one problem causes three others. Finding the right “mix” of inks, washes, fountain solutions, blankets, rollers, and coating is vital to get the work done fast and correctly the first time, therefore maximizing profit. How do you get your press to run at maximum speed while producing the best possible quality? Can you produce more saleable sheets on your floor in a shift than yesterday?

More and more of the time, support and instructor’s time is being spent on how to adjust certain products in order to maximize output and quality. I use the analogy of the difference between a good cook and a “master chef.” They both use the same ingredients, but you can have totally different results in the final dish. This is a lot like consumables on a press. Just because you are using the same consumables doesn’t automatically mean your results will be the same between the two presses. You have to take into account environment (cooking temperature), press operator skill level (chef’s level of training), and how much you use (amount of ingredients).

We wish it was as easy as 1-2-3 but it very seldom is. That’s where your contacts, associations, and vendors can help. Please reach out and use the resources available to you!